As political party leaders jostle for the family vote in 2011, Postmedia News reality-checks some key promises. Today: The Liberal plan for childcare.

WHAT WAS THE PROMISE?

The Liberal party recently pledged to create a $500-million fund, which would grow to $1 billion in four years, to help provinces boost childcare options. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said he also would continue the allowance program the Conservatives introduced in 2006, which sends families $100 per month for each child under the age of six.

The Liberals would distribute the new funding similarly to the way the Tories distributed their infrastructure funding: provinces would submit applications for review, and either be granted or denied funding.

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT?

- There's a shortage of daycare space, which proponents say this could help alleviate.

- Families with two working parents may benefit.

- Funding is designed to be flexible, so provinces can apply to use it as they see fit (for example, recruiting and training early childhood educators).

- The Conservatives' $100-a-month plan would still exist, to allow parental choice.

WHAT'S BAD ABOUT IT?

- The Conservatives' monthly direct payment would continue and is part of the beneficiary's taxable income. The allowance increases income by approximately $1,200 per child per year which could, depending on a household's income, bump it into a higher tax bracket, resulting in a loss of other social benefits.

- The Liberal plan limits choices and could discourages parents from being their child's primary caregiver, some say.

- The Liberals have proposed similar programs since 1993, and were able to get the provinces to sign agreements before heading into the 2005-06 election. The victorious Conservatives cancelled the program. Programs proposed by previous Liberal leaders asked that provinces match funding; this proposal doesn't.

- As is the case with many federal transfers to provinces, there is no guarantee the provinces will use the money for the proposed projects.